Bladder-Sparing Surgery
Although cystectomy (surgical removal of the bladder) is the standard treatment for advanced bladder cancer, certain patients may be eligible for bladder-sparing surgery - a less aggressive surgical procedure combined with chemotherapy and radiation. Using an endoscope inserted through the urethra, surgeons perform a transurethral resection (TUR) to remove as much of the tumor as possible. The patient then receives radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Initial results, published in journal articles, are comparable to those observed with radical cystecomy.
